The TARDIS's New Pilot
by AKFicChick
Summary: Decades after the Doctor had to leave the TARDIS she decided it was time to find a new pilot. Avery Mitchell can communicate with technology and nothing speaks louder than the TARDIS when calling for help.
1. Chapter 1

****AUTHOR'S NOTE****

I hope you enjoy this fanfiction. I don't know where I will take it and I'm really bad about having writer's block at some point with every story I write so I often have times where I won't post things for months (and in some cases years). So I hope you don't get too upset with me if that happens here. I am a single mom and will soon me working then once fall comes I will be in classes five days a week on top of work and taking care of my son so I may not have time to write. The fact that I got this written is amazing. I'm supposed to be packing my place up right now but for days my brain has been screaming at me to write something and last night I had the urge to write a Doctor Who fanfic but couldn't think of what to write about until today after getting my nails done in a blue very close to TARDIS blue.

I really had fun writing this bit so I hope I can continue it. Enjoy!

Avery's face twitched in her sleep. Her brown creased and her eyebrows drew together as she groaned and tossed her head.

_iCan anyone hear me? Is there someone out there who can help me? Please! Help me!/i_

She sat bolt upright, breathing hard. Rubbing her face in her palms, Avery let herself really wake up. The dream started to fade and the adrenaline it caused to course through her body slowly began to ebb. The bed creaked as she tossed the covers aside and threw her feet over the edge, placing them on the cold laminate flooring. The chill spread throughout her body almost instantly, helping her to become more alert.

Standing, Avery turned and threw the covers back over the bed in a somewhat tidy manner then slid her feet into her fuzzy, zebra print slippers and shuffled from the room. In the bathroom she appraised herself in the mirror, trying to forget the dream.

It wasn't the first time she'd had it. Even sometimes during the day when she allowed her mind to drift from the task at hand she could hear the voice calling out to her. The voice was definitely female, of that much she was sure. The problem was that it felt so real. Of course, it couldn't be. She couldn't hear voices.

As she turned the knobs on the sink, the warm water spilled into the basin and began swirling round and round. For a moment Avery forgot what she was doing and simply stared at the draining water. It continued to swirl and Avery could swear she saw flashes of light and images coming from it. Faces. Male faces. Several of them. All of them different but somehow she felt that they were all the same. Just then her cell phone began to ring from the other room, jarring Avery from her thoughts. She ran to get it, answering it just before the voicemail would have picked up.

"This is Avery," she said, speaking into the receiver.

"Hi, Avery, this is Doctor Seward's office calling to remind you of your appointment this afternoon at three."

"All right, got it. Thanks for calling to remind me."

"No problem. Have a good day."

"You too," she said and pressed the end call button. After she hung up she stood in her room staring off into space, trying to remember what she had been doing a moment before.

"Right, I was about to wash my face," she spoke aloud to herself then headed back to the bathroom to finish her morning routine.

Avery Mitchell was only twenty-six and lived alone. She didn't really have any friends or family to speak of and to most that might seem sad but she was okay with it. Her parents had died in a car accident when she was twelve and her grandparents raised her until she turned eighteen and went off to college. They died during her sophomore year, leaving her their modest home and a decent amount of money. Avery used that money to help pay for school and property taxes. She took a job at a local electronics store to pay for utilities and any other expenses she might have. It seemed like a lonely life to outsiders but Avery never felt alone with her gadgets.

She'd always had a knack for high tech toys and machinery. When she was only two she managed to fix an alarm clock she had broken when she had thrown it against the wall while playing with it. It wasn't until she was in high school that she realized she was incredibly different from others. Her knack was actually something more. She supposed you could call her some sort of mutant but that just sounded derogatory. Avery felt that her gift was like pure fantasy. She could communicate with electronics and machines. She felt how they worked in her very bones. With a touch of her hand she could find the problem and will it to correct itself. She'd even tried building things that she saw in science fiction programs. In fact, she had a light saber hidden away in the back of her closet. When she invented that, she'd nearly destroyed the house playing with it.

For the most part she tried to keep her skills under wraps but from time to time she used them to get ahead at work. She worked repairs at the local electronics shop. With her help the little mom and pop store had become the go-to business for anyone with tech problems. The owners loved her so much that she made even more than their store manager. Unfortunately she was growing bored with the job. To her, all the devices brought in were too easy. It took only seconds to diagnose the problem and fix it. She longed for a challenge. Longed to see something different.

With her face freshly washed, Avery pulled the head band from her chestnut colored hair and fixed the flyaways, not bothering to style it, just leaving it in the half-ponytail at the nape of her neck. Real quick she applied mascara, concealer, and powder then brushed her teeth and went to the kitchen in search of breakfast.

A full breakfast sounded best and she had plenty of time to make it considering it was her weekend. She would indulge today in fried potatoes, bacon, eggs, and even some pancakes. She aimed to stuff herself silly then veg out on the couch while she watched the morning talk shows.

Hours later she was asleep on the couch, having fallen back to sleep while sitting up. Her eyes flickered as in her mind she dreamed yet again.

i_She was walking through a dense forest, the ground completely covered in foliage. Something seemed to pull at her, drawing her near. Her heart raced with anticipation. Whatever she was walking towards would be wonderful. It would be like nothing she'd ever seen before. _

_Hello? Is there someone out there? Can you hear me?_

_That voice again. The female voice from all those other dreams and daydreams. "Yes! I can hear you! Where are you?" Avery called back aloud, not realizing that the voice she heard she wasn't hearing with her ears. _

_Hello? Can anyone hear me?_

"_I can hear you!" Avery said adamantly. "Me! Where are you? I can't see you!"_

_Help me! Please, someone help me! I'm here. I'm all alone. Please, can anyone hear me?_

_Avery started running in the direction she thought the voice was coming from, the pulling sensation growing stronger. Someone was in trouble and she had to help them. As she ran she leaped over fallen trees and clumps of small shrubs, her feet seeming to carry her faster and faster. _

"_I'm coming for you! Just hold on!" she shouted, her legs pumping as hard as they would go. _

_How long she ran for, she couldn't figure, but suddenly the pulling sensation stopped and so did she. Her knees gave out from exhaustion and she crumpled to the forest floor, breathing hard. Looking around she couldn't see anything but trees, shrubs, and vines. There was nothing here. _

_Is anyone out there who can hear me?_

_The voice was alarmingly close. Avery looked around again but still saw nothing. "Please, tell me where you are!"_

_Help me! I'm all alone. _

"_Yes, yes! I'll help you just tell me where you are!"/i_

Her hazel eyes snapped open as the dream disappeared. She found herself still sitting on the couch, her breakfast dishes on the coffee table in front of her, the TV still blaring. Rubbing her eyes she tried to see the forest from her dream again. It was the first time she'd been anywhere when she dreamed of the voice. Normally that's all the dream was, the voice.

Taking a deep breath she forced herself to get up and get dressed. A long walk would help to clear her head. She was still frightened for the woman. She had to think of something else or she would be stuck with those feelings for the rest of the day and it would just ruin her weekend.

Outside was warm and sunny. For a moment Avery just the let sun soak into her as she turned her face up towards the sky. Summer was only just beginning and there was still a slight chill to the air but, to Avery, it was perfect weather. She breathed deep the fresh scents that wafted through the air on a small breeze then began to walk at a leisurely pace. There wasn't a set destination in mind, just a walk through town.

People she knew passed by going about their usual business. Several waved and said hello and Avery responded in kind. Most of the people who lived there were old enough to be her grandparents. She'd known them most of her life. Often she would be invited over for dinners or sweet, old ladies would stop by with a dish of some thing or the other.

As she thought of a million other things besides the dream, Avery didn't realize she'd walked straight through town and was now treading through pastures, heading straight for the tree line at the back of all the open land.

Before too long she suddenly stopped and blinked, having no idea where she was. There was nothing but trees all around her and her feet ached as if she'd walked for miles. The leaves in the tree clicked as the wind passed through them. Birds chirped all around and somewhere an animal rustled through the underbrush.

Avery began to panic. She was utterly lost. She didn't even remember leaving the sidewalk. She whirled around trying to figure out which way she might have come. By the time she'd turned ten full circles she gave up and slumped to the ground. With a weary sigh she looked up at the tall trees and something struck her as familiar. Getting up, she began to walk in the direction things looked as if she'd seen them before. That's when she felt something in her chest. A strong urge to keep going. Slowly, her feet began to move faster until she was running.

It was her dream. This was the forest in her dream. She let the feeling take her over and she ran for what seemed like an eternity, pushing branches out of the way and jumping over dead trees. On and on she ran until she suddenly stopped, letting out a gasp.

Before her stood a tall blue box. On top was what appeared to have been a light. There were two doors facing her, one with a sign that said to pull. Vines had nearly overtaken the thing, covering up some words over the top of the doors. Reverently, Avery walked up to the box and put her hand on it, then jerked it back as if she'd been burned. She fell to ripping away the vines, clearing the box of everything until it was completely visible.

She stood back to take in what lay beneath all the foliage. It was definitely something she'd never seen before. Then she remembered the voice. Could someone be stuck inside? She tried the door and found it to be locked. Maybe there was a key lying on the ground around it.

Kicking around in the dirt and leaves for several minutes found nothing so she then tried knocking on the door.

"Hello? Is someone in there?" she called out and waited for an answer. Nothing. She knocked again and then held her ear to the door. The box wasn't very big but maybe the person was so weak from having called out so much before that she could barely say anything now. Still nothing.

"Oh, this is frustrating," she said, placing her hands on her hips as she stared at the box. "This has to be what I was meant to find but I can't even get in it." Then she put one hand on the door again, trying to think of how she could get in.

i_Hello? /i_

Avery gasped again and jumped back. It was the voice from her dream. Gingerly she touched a palm to the door again and waited.

i_Hello? Who are you?/i_

"I-" Avery started to reply but then stopped. Who was she talking to?

i_Yes? You are…?/i_

"I'm Avery. Avery Mitchell."

i_Well Avery Mitchell, don't just stand there, open the door./i_

"I can't. It's locked."

i_Oh, right, sorry about that._ Then the doors swung open revealing an immense inside. /i

Avery just stood there, her mouth agape as what she saw. It was bigger on the inside.

i_Are you going to come in or not? I've been waiting too long to wait any longer./i_

"Right." Avery closed her mouth and stepped inside. She walked up a ramp and onto what appeared to be the hub of the room. A giant console stood at the center with more buttons and knobs than she'd even seen on anything. From the center of that jutted up a long, clear stack with something in the middle.

Though everything was caked with dust it was all still absolutely gorgeous to her. "Oh you sexy thing you," she said, ignoring the dust as she leaned forward to place her hands on the console. Her whole body hummed as she came into contact with it and she enjoyed the sensation for a moment before standing straight and looking around. She noticed a few doors leading out of the main room.

"How big is this thing?"

i_As big as I need it to be._ Was the answer. _Now are you going to stand there staring at me all day or are you going to help me?/i_

"I'm sorry, but did you just say 'staring at' you? I don't see anyone here."

i_Yes, I did. And no, then only person here is you, and /i_you_ iare standing inside /i_me.

"Excuse me? I think you've lost me."

i_Pardon my rudeness. Allow me to introduce myself. I am the TARDIS. That stands for time and relative dimension in space. But you may call me Sexy if you like. I am rather fond of that name, myself./i_

"Wait. Space? You mean you're some sort of spaceship?"

i_I am actually, though that's not quite what my name means./i_

"Why do you look like a big blue box?"

i_Cloaking device. It went on the fritz ages ago and has never been fixed./i_

"I could fix that for you- I think." She put her hand on the console and closed her eyes. So much information began streaming into her brain.

i_Thank you, but no, I rather like this look./i_

Avery removed her hands and shrugged. "As you like, then." She began to walk the circuit around the console, lightly dragging a ringer over it as she went. "So you said something about me helping you. What do you want me to do?"

_iWell, you see, I've lost my partner and-_ the TARDIS paused for a moment, sounding almost sad. _And, well, you see I've been without him for so long that I can no longer move. I've been calling out for help for decades and you're the first person to hear me. I need you to fix me./i_

"But I've never seen anything like you before. Even with all the information I could take from you, I'm not sure I could be of any help."

_iNonsense. I sense something special about you. I think you're just the right person to help. Put your hand on my console again. I'll try and feed you the information you need./i_

"Don't you think I should buy you dinner first?" Avery chuckled and was met with silence. "Sorry. Hand, console, got it."


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: Persistent Little TARDIS

"You're absolutely amazing!" Avery breathed as the TARDIS gave her the info she needed.

_iYes, I know._/i

"There's just so much about you. If this is only the necessary info I need to help fix you, I can't even begin to imagine all the ins and outs you have."

_iIf you fix me, maybe there will be time for you to discover at least half of them./i_

"What do you mean?"

i_What I mean is that I would very much like to go places but I can't without someone to pilot me. Seeing as my last pilot wandered off I am very much in need of a new one. I'm asking you to be that person. I spent hundreds of years with my last pilot and only once was I ever able to actually talk with him. The fact that you can fix me and communicate with me makes you perfect for the job._/i

"Hundreds of years? How is that possible?"

i_There's not time to explain it right now. I will simply say he's an alien- or was an alien._/i

"You don't know what happened to him?"

i_No. I mean, I did at first but then, like I said, he wandered off. I haven't seen him in at least a hundred years. I'm not meant to sit around and gather dust. I want to be off traveling, seeing the universe, discovering new things!_/i

"So what is it exactly you can do? I mean if you're a spaceship I assume you can go into outer space, but is that it?"

i_Fix me and agree to be my pilot and you'll find out._/i The TARDIS sounded rather excited when she said that. It was as if she were about to play a great joke on Avery.

"Well, we'll see about that. I mean, I certainly would love to get to know you better." She made a face and mumbled to herself, "God I really do sound like I'm on a date with someone."

i_That's quite all right. I have that effect on people._/i

Avery rolled her eyes behind her closed lids. She'd met loads of technology but never one quite so conceited, but she really liked her. This woman had real personality, something most technology on earth didn't.

About an hour later Avery was able to pull her hands from the console. She sat down and leaned back against it, giving her aching feet a rest. "I never thought there'd ever be anything like you- and that's saying something considering I've made a light saber."

i_A what?_/i

"A light saber. You know, like from the Star Wars movies?" When silence followed, Avery understood. "Do you know what Star Wars is?"

i_I've been a part of many wars and I don't recall any of them being named the Star Wars._/i

Avery laughed outright. "They're movies, not actual wars. It's a story. I'm sure you've heard of movies."

i_Of course I have._/i She sounded offended.

"Sorry, I don't mean to call you stupid, I know you're nowhere near stupid. Anyway, a light saber is like a sword but it's made of light and can hack through pretty much anything. We don't quite have that kind of technology here on earth and I really wanted one so I found things that would work and I made one."

i_So you're saying you can make other sorts of technology?_/i

"I can."

i_Then perhaps you might like to look at something. My last pilot carried one with him everywhere. He changed it from time to time to make it better but he left it on board. I think you would benefit from its use. There's a panel just to the left of where you're sitting. Open it up and you'll find what I speak of._/i

Avery did as she was told and had to bang on the panel to get it to open. When it did, a few odds and ends tumbled out but Avery knew exactly what the TARDIS was talking about. It was a metal stick that was almost as long as her forearm and adorned with a few little gadgets. When she picked it up, it spoke to her and told her its name.

"A sonic screwdriver. That's such an odd thing to be sonic." She pushed a button and gave a quick flick of her wrist and the top popped up and three little prongs came out, leaving the light in the center standing alone. She caressed the screwdriver and listened to its secrets. "It can do so much."

i_Except work on wood._/i

Chuckling, Avery nodded. "It says it wishes it could." Holding the sonic screwdriver in front of her face she added, "I think I can help you there." To the TARDIS she said, "I could easily modify this thing with some tools."

i_I knew you'd be perfect! Now, how about you pocket that thing and get started repairing me?_/i

Suddenly Avery looked at her watch. "It's getting really late. Maybe we can pick this up tomorrow." She stood to leave, putting the sonic screwdriver in her pocket and headed to the ramp. As she neared the doors they closed on her.

i_I'm terribly sorry but I told you before that I/i _cannot i_wait any longer. There are plenty of bedrooms to choose from and I have been able to keep plenty of food from going bad. You have everything you could ever need here._/i

"I'm suddenly feeling like a prisoner."

i_I do apologize but I have waited too many decades for someone to come along who can understand me. Your ability seems quite advanced. I have no doubt that you could repair me in no time. Once I am fixed, I will take you home and you won't have missed even one second of your day._/i

Avery looked at her watch again then looked up into empty air as if the TARDIS would have a face for her to see. "I have a doctor's appointment in a few minutes."

i_As I said, you won't miss even a second of your day. Now please get to work, I really don't like feeling this way._/i

"What way?"

i_As if I'm ill._/i

"Oh, all right then." She sighed and trudged back across the ramp then sat down with her legs crossed before her as she began to pull panels up to get at the wiring beneath.

Avery had no idea what day it was when she finally closed the last panel after fixing all of the TARDIS's problems. She knew she'd slept at least four times but each time she didn't know how long she'd slept or how much time in between each sleep had passed.

She stood and reached her arms over her head, lacing her fingers together and stretching, a groan rising from her throat. "Well, I think that does it." For good measure she put her hand on the console again and checked. After a few minutes she knew everything felt right.

i_Thank you for fixing me. I feel so much better now._/i

"Can I go home now?"

i_Of course. Though you'll have to input the coordinates in order for me to give you a lift._/i

"Uh, I don't know how to do that." Avery scratched her head as she looked at the myriad buttons and knobs.

i_I'll walk you through it. If you're going to be my pilot you'll have to learn this._/i

As she stepped around the console looking at everything again Avery said, "I'm still not sure I want to be your pilot, though."

i_You may change your mind soon._/i The TARDIS began instructing Avery on how to input coordinates and start the engine. And for some reason she told her to enter the day and time just before her doctor's appointment. Then Avery pulled a lever and the ship began to rumble. The thing in the shaft in the center began to move up and down and whirring nose emanated throughout the hub. Avery grabbed hold of the console for dear life as the ship gave a sudden jerk.

Moments later Avery fell out of the TARDIS into her own back yard. On her hands and knees she promptly vomited up her last meal. "What the hell kind of ride was that?" she asked as she wiped her mouth and stood.

i_So sorry. Some cannot handle traveling the time vortex and I'm afraid I'm still a tad rusty since I haven't moved in near a century. I'll soon have that fixed, though._/i She made a noise as if she were stretching. If she could stretch. i_It feels wonderful to be traveling again. Now you'd better hurry and get showered and dressed or else you'll miss your appointment._/i

"But I already missed my appointment. It must've been days ago. I've probably been fired from my job as well." Avery spat onto the grass, trying to rid the flavor of bile from her mouth.

i_Honey, I'm the TARDIS, you have arrived precisely an hour before your appointment. That's enough time to get ready and get there._/i

"You've confused me again."

The TARDIS sighed exasperatedly. i_I'm a/i _time machine.i_That's what my name tells you. I can travel anywhere in time and anywhere in the universe._/i She sounded quite proud of herself.

Avery stood there just staring at the big blue box, dumbfounded.

i_There will be plenty of time for that later. Right now you need to get to your appointment. Chop, chop!_/i

With an indignant look at the TARDIS Avery turned on her heel and rushed into the house to get ready. Along the way she flipped on the TV and turned it to a news station. Sure enough it was the same day she had left and an hour before her appointment. She tried to quell the intense giddiness at the thought that there was a real time machine in her back yard.

After her appointment, Avery realized she was hungry so she stopped off to grab a bite to eat on the way home. By the time she arrived the sun was setting, bathing everything in golden light. She entered the house and went to the kitchen window that overlooked the back yard. The TARDIS was in the same spot she had left it. Though now the ship didn't seem to feel relieved. Instead there was an aura of sadness emanating from it.

Stepping from the back door, Avery called out to the TARDIS. "Are you all right?"

i_Quite so._/i

"I don't know that I believe you." She placed one hand on her hip.

i_I can assure you there is nothing wrong with me. Not now anyway. Thank you again._/i

Avery knew a lie when she heard one but she didn't push the issue. Turning back to the door she made to open it but the TARDIS stopped her.

i_Have you thought about becoming my pilot?_/i

"It's only been two hours since I got home. I'm still reeling from the fact that you're not just a spaceship but a time machine as well! I think I'll need a little more time to think it over." Again she turned to leave.

i_I did mention I can travel anywhere in the universe didn't I?_/i

Stopping with her hand on the doorknob Avery turned to look back at the blue box. "Yes, you did, but if I'm completely honest I'm a little afraid of leaving earth."

i_Where's your sense of adventure…uh, I'm sorry but I don't believe I ever got your name._/i

"It's Avery Mitchell."

i_Well, Avery, haven't you ever wanted to go places? I don't have to take you off earth if you're afraid. I could take you anywhere on this planet and at any point in time, past, present, and future. Of course, I do think you ought to try traveling the stars._/i

"Thing is, though, I'm perfectly fine where I'm at right now, TARDIS. I've got a good life here. No sense in running to someplace else."

i_Drat, how did the Doctor manage to coerce so many people to travel with him?_/i the TARDIS muttered.

"The Doctor?" Avery questioned, taking the few steps down the stairs and onto the grass.

i_That's nothing,_/i she snapped. Then, i_What is it you most want to do with your life? There has to be something you yearn for._/i Before Avery could even say what it was, the TARDIS remembered something. i_Technology! Don't you want to see what else is out there? Though, of course you'll never find anything as wonderful as I am but there's so much out there that earth doesn't have. No human could ever imagine._/i

Biting her lip, Avery really thought about it. The chance to see all that alien technology made her more excited than she'd ever been in her life, but then the fact that she'd be completely out of her element made her wary. "I don't know," she said slowly. "I'm just a human. What do I know about other planets."

i_I have books on every known race in the galaxy and their respective home planets. If you decide to leave earth you will not want for information. Even if you decide to hop from place to place on earth I have books on every era of every continent._/i The TARDIS paused then. i_What's really stopping you from coming aboard and leaving with me? Do you have family obligations?_/i

"No, no, none of that. It's just…I'm scared. I mean I want to see alien tech but I know it's just going to be so different. What happens if I screw up somewhere? There's still things I don't know about my own hometown and I've grown up here! How is reading up on a whole other planet going to help?"

The TARDIS heaved a sigh. i_Sometimes you just have to jump._/i If the TARDIS had feet, Avery knew she'd be tapping one in impatience. When Avery hesitated still the TARDIS said, i_Why don't you come with me just once and if you don't like it, I'll bring you back and I'll go back to finding someone to pilot me?_/i

Avery stared at the TARDIS for a moment, chewing her bottom lip. Slowly a smile crept over her face and she said, "All right, sounds like a plan!" She rushed across the lawn and pulled the door open. As she stepped in she heard the TARDIS make a relieved sigh.

i_You don't know how wonderful it is that someone finally reads the directions._/i

"Sorry?" Avery closed the door behind her and walked over to the console.

i_Nothing. Now, where to go, where to go?_/i


End file.
